Airalo is one of the most common Albania eSIM providers and is well known for its cheap short-term data plans. I ended up settling on them for my 2 days passing through the country. I got the 3 GB plan for myself and Anna.

Albania offers the Hej Telecom eSim plans for Albania country start at just $4.5 (but it seems prices have risen by about $1 a GB lately and Albania is not the cheapest place to get data):

1 GB / 7 Days for $4.5
2 GB / 15 Days for $8
3 GB / 30 Days for $11
5 GB / 30 Days for $15.5
10 GB / 30 Days for $26
20 GB / 30 Days for $32 (this plan has since been removed)

Even the largest data pack for Albania from Airalo seems expensive at $2.6/GB, but the other providers cost even more. And it’s got more than enough data for an entire month in the country. Airalo’s Albania eSims provide you with access to both the best provider in the country: Vodafone. Although I did notice on Anna’s phone at some points that it swapped to One and back to Vodaphone.

Airalo Albania download speed – beach location

It’s worth noting that Vodafone is considered the best network operator in Albania, and you can get really fast speeds in more built-up areas. I used it on the beach one afternoon and got 150 Mbps download speed on Vodaphone!

Whereas when we were in the mountains it was obviously more limited and I got only 70 Mbps data download speed, which is still respectable for 4G in a country like Albania.

Airalo Albania download speed – remote location

Some people on the Albania eSIM Reddit group have complained about not being able to get connections with Airalo, so let me know if you have problems. I was ok when I traveled through there recently.

Pros

Excellent value for money
Access to two network operators
Easy activation and top-ups

Cons

The longest plan duration is 30 days

See Prices on Airalo

BEST UNLIMITED DATA PLAN

Maya Mobile

Maya Mobile is an excellent provider for travelers on longer trips in Albania. All Maya Mobile eSIM plans are valid for at least 30 days, and they’re only a little more expensive than Airalo’s plans, which is well worth it for the longer validity period.

They have small data packages and an Albania eSIM unlimited data plan to choose from:

All Maya Mobile Albania eSIMs operate on the Vodafone network so that you will have access to the provider with the best coverage in the country. Also, Maya Mobile is the only provider that offers an unlimited data option for Albania, which is certainly worth considering if you need a large data allowance.

This provider allows data sharing on all their eSIMs, so you can share your Internet connection with friends and family while traveling. If you are also able to split the cost of the eSIM with two or three other people, the unlimited data plan is easily the best value for money you will find.

Pros

Unlimited data plan
Access to Vodafone network
Great value for money

Cons

No short-term data plans

See Prices on Maya Mobile

Nomad

Nomad is another eSIM provider that loves offering short-term data packs for almost every country you can imagine. They offer two types of Albania eSIM plans – those that operate on the Vodafone network and those that are operated by Truphone, an international network provider:

Nomad’s data plans are significantly more expensive than Airalo’s so I don’t recommend them. Especially because the plans are valid for shorter periods, and in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros.

Pros

Trusted and established eSim provider
Multiple short-term data plans

Cons

Very expensive data packs
Most data plans are valid for less than a month

See Prices on Nomad

Holafly

Holafly is an international eSIM provider best known for unlimited data plans. Unfortunately, Holafly doesn’t have an unlimited data plan for Albania. Instead, they only offer a plan with 6 GB valid for 15 days for the cost of $44, which is significantly more expensive than similar plans from Airalo, Maya Mobile, and even Nomad.

The advantages of the Holafly eSim plan are that you get access to the Vodafone network and you can create a hotspot to share your Internet connection, but the same can be said for the plans from other providers. Because of the high price point, I do not recommend the Holafly eSim to travelers in Albania.

Pros

Data sharing is allowed
Access to Vodafone network

Cons

Very expensive

See Prices on Holafly

BNESIM

BNESIM has the widest variety of data plans for an Albania eSim. There’s a total of 7 monthly plans you can choose from, which are similarly priced to Airalo’s plans:

1 GB / 30 Days for 3.12 Euros
3 GB / 30 Days for 9.1 Euros
5 GB / 30 Days for 14.69 Euros
10 GB / 30 Days for 28.08 Euros
20 GB / 30 Days for 54.93 Euros
50 GB / 30 Days for 117.94 Euros
100 GB / 30 Days for 194.69 Euros

In addition to these monthly plans, this eSim provider also offers daily plans and one-time packages that don’t expire. But, both the daily and one-time plans are more expensive than the monthly plans, so it doesn’t make too much sense to purchase them.

The only advantage of the one-time plans is that you can keep browsing the Internet as long as you still have mobile data on it, so it’s an option worth considering for longer stays in Albania.

Pros

Affordable monthly plans
Optional one-time and daily data plans
Large data packs included

Cons

The large data packs are quite expensive

See Prices on BNESIM

BEST ESIM WITH PHONE NUMBER

GlobaleSIM

GlobaleSIM offers six data packs for Albania, and they make it very easy to purchase more data if you ever need to top up your eSim:

500 MB / 5 Days for $3
1 GB / 7 Days for $6
2 GB / 10 Days for $10
3 GB / 14 Days for $14
5 GB / 21 Days for $18
10 GB / 30 Days for $30

Additionally, it’s possible to add voice minutes to this data plan. You can choose whether you want a US, UK, or Canadian phone number for one of the following packs:

100 minutes for $10
200 minutes for $17
300 minutes for $25

Adding voice minutes to your plan is not necessary, and you can still get the cheaper, data-only card if that is what you prefer. This is the only provider that offers a 5-day data pack for Albania, which is a decent option for travelers who are in the country for a short time. But all their other data plans are more expensive than comparable plans from Airalo, Maya Mobile, and even BNESIM, so they’re not one of our top picks.

Pros

Optional phone number and voice minutes
Cheapest short-term data plan

Cons

One of the pricier providers

See Prices on GlobaleSIM

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Benefits of Getting an eSim in Albania

Why should you bother with getting an eSim for your stay in Albania? Because it’s the only way to guarantee Internet access at your fingertips whenever you need it. Sure, you could use data roaming if you need to, but you would pay more for a few minutes of data roaming than for an eSim that’s valid for a week, so that’s certainly one of the benefits of an Albania eSim.

There’s also the fact that you can purchase an eSim online and activate it in just a few minutes, which is much more convenient than walking around a foreign city looking for a store that sells sim cards and eSims. Plus, you don’t have to remove your original sim card, worry about losing it, or try to remember where you put that tiny tool to eject the sim tray.

Local Mobile Operators Offering eSims in Albania

Vodafone is the only local provider in Albania that offers eSims. Anyone can get an eSim upon request, but it is necessary to find a local Vodaphone store and do it in person. You can’t purchase a physical sim card or a data pack online, so consider doing this only if it won’t take too much of your time.

The Vodafone packs for tourists are great value for money, especially because you get a phone number to make calls and send/receive texts locally. For $20 you can get 35 GB of mobile data, unlimited minutes, and unlimited texts to local numbers. There’s also a cheaper package for tourists, as well as a variety of daily and monthly data packs with local sim cards.

One Albania is another local provider to consider if you’re fine with a physical sim card. With a wide variety of prepaid packages, you can choose whether you want more minutes, texts, or just as much mobile data as possible.

Devices Compatible with eSim in Albania

Apple and Android devices that support eSims will all work with eSims in Albania. The first smartphones that featured this technology were the Apple iPhone XR, Google Pixel 3, and Samsung Galaxy S20. All the similar models released later will also support eSims, as well as some phones from other Android manufacturers.

If you want to check whether your smartphone is compatible with eSims, you can just dial *#06#. Doing this shows you a list of unique codes for your device; if you can see an EID number, it means that your phone supports an eSim. The lack of an EID number means that the device doesn’t support embedded sim cards, and you will need to pick up a traditional sim card instead.

Data Needed When Traveling to Albania

How much data you need for a trip to Albania mostly depends on how long you’re staying in the country. Your data usage habits should also be taken into consideration; if you can manage without streaming videos, you will be fine with smaller data packs. Up to 3 GB can be enough for trips up to two weeks if you can monitor and manage your data usage but consider plans with 5 GB or more if you want to use mobile data more liberally.

For stays up to 30 days, consider data plans that include at least 5 GB. Get a larger allowance if you want to share the data with others, work while you’re traveling, or even watch movies and stream music.

Also, consider unlimited data plans for data sharing and working. The one from Maya Mobile is excellent and not very expensive, especially if you can split the cost with fellow travelers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eSim available in Albania?

Yes, eSim is available in Albania. Vodafone is the only local provider that offers eSims to its customers, and you should be able to purchase an eSim with a prepaid plan in any Vodafone store in Albania.

How much does an eSIM cost in Albania?

An eSim for Albania can cost a few dollars up to a few hundred dollars. It usually depends on the data allowance, but the cheapest eSim for Albania is $3 with 500 MB.

How do I activate my eSim in Albania?

To activate the eSim in Albania it should be enough just to turn on mobile data and start browsing the Internet. You need to set up the eSim first, which can be done through the network settings, usually by scanning a QR code. If you run into issues trying to set up and activate your Albania eSim, just contact the support team of the provider for a quick resolution.

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